Paws Assisting Veterans

06/02/2026

Somebody knows it is ! 😂

06/01/2026

PTSD Awareness Month ❤️💙🤍

For many individuals living with PTSD, service dogs provide comfort, stability, confidence, and support through life's daily challenges.

This month, we honor the strength of those navigating PTSD and celebrate the incredible partnership between service dogs and their handlers.

We'd love to hear from you: How does your service dog help you? Share your story in the comments.

05/29/2026

Our camera rolls: 2% humans, 98% dogs sleeping in the weirdest positions possible… and honestly, whose phone isn’t like this? 😂🐶

Bent like a pretzel, upside down with legs in the air, half off the couch, tongue out for dramatic effect… dogs really sleep like they pay the bills.

Drop a pic of your dog’s funniest sleeping posture in the comments ⬇️ Or if you’re on Instagram, describe the chaos if you can’t post a photo 😆

05/28/2026

05/26/2026

A heartfelt thank you to D. Sullivan for your incredibly generous donation in support of Cider!

We didn’t receive much information along with the donation, so we’re sorry we weren’t able to send a private thank you directly. We suspect you may have been part of Cider’s journey as a puppy raiser, and we wanted to make sure your kindness was recognized.

Career change dogs like Cider may take a different path than expected, but they are still so deserving of love, care, and support as they transition into their next chapter. Your generosity helps make that possible, and we are truly grateful.

Thank you for being part of Cider’s story. ❤️

Ps. Following our privacy protocol, this pic of one of our ambassador dogs, not Cider.

05/25/2026

05/21/2026

For the past 3 days, we had the incredible opportunity to be at the booth during in Portland, OR ❤️

Instead of handing out traditional swag, AEMCO chose to support both their engineering community and our mission in a truly meaningful way: bringing fluffy dogs for people to pet, decompress, smile, and recharge during the stress and fast pace that conferences can sometimes bring.
At the same time, they ran a fundraiser campaign supporting our cause, helping raise awareness and support for the work we do with Veterans and First Responders.

Our dogs made so many new friends these past few days, spreading comfort, connection, and plenty of tail wags along the way.

Thank you, AEMCO, for believing in the healing power of dogs and for finding such a thoughtful way to give back to your community while supporting ours.

05/20/2026

Disability Awareness Month reminds us that not all disabilities are visible.

For many Veterans living with PTSD, everyday activities that most people take for granted can feel overwhelming.

Crowded stores. Loud noises. Constant movement. Unpredictable environments. The brain remains stuck in survival mode — hypervigilant, scanning for danger, preparing for threats that may never come.

Over time, the world can start to feel unsafe. Social outings become shorter. Public places become harder. Isolation grows. Their world becomes smaller and smaller.

But healing is possible.

With the support of mental health professionals, community, and, when appropriate, highly trained service dogs, many Veterans regain the tools and confidence to re-enter the world safely. Service dogs can interrupt anxiety episodes, assist exiting the area that is stressful, provide grounding during panic attacks, and help reduce hypervigilance so their handler can focus on living again instead of simply surviving.

Research funded by the NIH found that Veterans partnered with trained service dogs reported lower PTSD severity, reduced anxiety and depression, and less social isolation compared to those receiving usual care alone. Another Purdue University study found that interrupting anxiety and hypervigilance were among the most important and frequently used tasks performed by PTSD service dogs.

Research links in the comments.

- Invisible disabilities are real.

- PTSD is real.

- And support changes lives.

05/20/2026

We are so excited and grateful to begin a new partnership with Frog Pond Farm and truly look forward to many future visits together.

From the moment we arrived, their management and staff were incredibly friendly, welcoming, and accommodating, helping create the perfect environment for our dogs in training to gain safe, positive exposure to farm animals, equipment, new sights, sounds, and real-life activity.

One of the things we immediately fell in love with is how family oriented the farm is. Everywhere you look, there are happy kids feeding animals, petting goats, exploring the outdoor playgrounds, and having endless fun in the indoor bouncy castles. It creates such an incredible training opportunity for our dogs to practice neutrality, confidence, impulse control, and polite greetings in a fun and dynamic environment.

We especially love how peaceful weekdays can be, while still offering valuable exposure through school groups and community organizations visiting throughout the day. We are incredibly thankful for businesses like Frog Pond Farm that support our mission and welcome our training program so warmly.

We cannot wait for many more adventures and training field trips here. 🐐🦙🦚

05/19/2026

Not all disabilities are visible.

Some people live with conditions you may never see: PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, chronic pain, autism, anxiety disorders, neurological conditions, hearing loss, and many others.

A person may look “fine” while carrying challenges that affect daily life, energy levels, communication, mobility, emotional regulation, or safety.

Invisible disabilities remind us why compassion matters.

Not every service dog team looks the same.

Not every disability includes a wheelchair, cane, or obvious medical equipment.

And no one should have to “prove” their disability to deserve respect, accommodations, or dignity.

At PAVE, we believe in creating spaces rooted in empathy, education, and understanding — for both humans and animals.

Sometimes the most meaningful thing we can offer someone is patience instead of judgment. 💙🤍❤️